Snape's Betrayal
by Stardrops
Summary: Severus must conceal his treachery and continue to assist the Dark Lord. While Dumbledore and the Order remain oblivious to this treason, people are dying. Will Voldemort finally dominate the wizarding world? For readers who are sick of Harry winning!
1. The Beginning

Title: Snape's Betrayal  
  
Author: Stardrops  
  
Genre: Adventure/Action  
  
Rating: PG 13 : There will be violence and murder, so I've got a high rating just as a precaution.  
  
Summary: Severus must conceal his treachery and continue to assist the Dark Lord. While Dumbledore remains oblivious to this treason, people are dying. Can Harry and his friends purge the world of Voldemort's evil forever?  
  
Disclaimer: Everything you recognize is J K Rowlings, the rest belongs to me. Which isn't much.  
  
Chapter One: The Beginning  
  
At Number 12, Grimmauld Place, Albus Dumbledore sat around the wooden table with the other members of the Order of The Phoenix.  
  
"Where is Severus?" grunted Alastor Moody, asking out of mere curiosity rather than concern.  
  
Dumbledore held his head high and lifted his chin as he prepared for another small battle about the merits of his spy. He knew his views were not shared by the rest of the Order on this matter. "He is fulfilling his duties."  
  
Molly Weasley looked slightly perplexed. "Albus, I know we have been through this countless times, but I really must ask you again, are you absolutely sure we can trust him?"  
  
Dumbledore exhaled somewhat impatiently. "Yes, Molly, as we have discussed. Severus has proved his worth to me, and I value his service as much as I value yours. He has been giving us much information that we will need if we ever want to overthrow Voldemort."  
  
Arthur Weasley looked down at his hands, folded neatly on the tabletop. "He is gifted in Occlumency?" He dared not look up.  
  
Albus surveyed him through slightly narrowed eyes. He sighed. "I know none of you trust him, but he is worthy of your support. He is valuable to our cause, and I wish you all would trust my judgement. Have I led you astray yet?"  
  
The table was silent.  
  
It was bitterly, immeasurably cold in the mansion, but Severus ground his teeth and willed his limbs to walk him further. His footsteps echoed eerily in the dark, damp hallway of the seemingly deserted mansion. As he entered a room to his right, he blinked as the sudden light from the fire hit his eyes. An armchair was seated in front of the fire, and the person sitting in it swung around to see him as he entered the room.  
  
Severus bowed his head deeply. "My Lord."  
  
The other man got to his feet and moved to stand in front of Severus. His glowing red eyes shone spookily in the dark room, and Severus felt a chill run down his spine as his mind was dissected by the older, taller man.  
  
Lord Voldemort nodded at length and returned to the chair. "You may enter, Severus." It was a mark of how important Severus was to the Death Eaters that Lord Voldemort referred to him by his first, rather than last name.  
  
"Have you learned anything more?"  
  
Severus stood awkwardly to one side. "Nothing of great value, my lord. Though, I have reason to believe they have appointed another spy inside the network. They know where your secret position is located, and have sent me here to spy on you."  
  
Lord Voldemort drew breath in harsh, raspy irritation. "You did not tell them?"  
  
"Of course not."  
  
Rising from his chair, Voldemort paced the room. "Well, we cannot move to another location yet, if they have more spies here." He whirled to face the other man, who blanched at the sudden movement. "You know not who it is?" he whispered menacingly.  
  
Severus shook his head thoughtfully. "They've not told me much. I returned for two nights and they sent me off again."  
  
Voldemort hissed in dissatisfaction. "I shall have to spend more time with the 'loyal' Death Eaters. It had better not be one of them turning traitorous."  
  
Severus nodded thoughtfully. "What is your command for me now?"  
  
Voldemort thought for a moment, staring blankly into the fire's flaming embers. "I want you to return to Hogwarts, Severus."  
  
Severus blinked, certain he'd heard wrong. "I beg your pardon, my lord?"  
  
"You will have to return to Hogwarts, Snape," Voldemort said, not looking at him but rather still staring thoughtfully into the fire. "I shall need your information from what Dumbledore and the children are saying and doing while in school."  
  
Severus was dumbfounded. "But I thought you needed my service in the Order's headquarters?"  
  
Lord Voldemort broke into an evil grin. "I will find someone else to fill that post til you have finished the school year again. In the meantime, you must go back to Dumbledore and tell him you wish to return to the school to help with the Potter boy."  
  
"I have already told him I wish to resign from my post as a Potions teacher. What if he has filled the post?" Severus asked, knowing this would be a fruitless question. When Lord Voldemort asks you to do something, you do it no matter how difficult the process is.  
  
Voldemort turned his cold, emotionless eyes towards Severus, who recoiled slightly under the unwavering gaze. "You shall have to come up with something. Anything. He must take you back into Hogwarts. You are needed there."  
  
Severus gritted his teeth together. If there was anything he hated, it was having to crawl to people. Asking for his job back was going to be nothing short of excruciating. He hovered for a moment, unsure of whether or not he could go.  
  
"You may leave now, Severus. I wish to be alone."  
  
Severus nodded, jerked his head forward in a bow and left the room.  
  
Lord Voldemort sat quietly and motionless in his armchair. "And we shall strike them soon," he said to himself softly.  
  
Dumbledore was waiting for him back at the Headquarters, as though he knew what Severus was about to ask. "You wish to return to Hogwarts to teach?"  
  
Severus nodded. "I believe my service would be better at school. I can keep surveillance on the Potter boy and his friends. I have reason to believe they are in great danger." His face was serious and his voice somewhat warning.  
  
Dumbledore leaned forward slightly, beckoning Snape forward. "What has he told you?" he asked sharply.  
  
Severus chewed his lip thoughtfully. "He says that he is going to lure Potter out of school and into his domains, where he will duel with him. He has sent me to the Headquarters to spy, I believe I would be better off in the school."  
  
Dumbledore frowned. "Won't he ask why you are teaching instead of spying?"  
  
"If I tell him you were unable to fill the place and asked me back, he will think I returned because it would otherwise look suspicious. He need never know."  
  
Dumbledore nodded. "Very well, Severus. You may return to Hogwarts. But first, is there anything else he has said that the Order should be aware of?"  
  
Severus noticed the clear eyes looking deep into his own and knew his mind was being searched. His skills in Occlumency were valuable in situations such as these, but with such a powerful mind as Dumbledore had, it was sometimes a struggle to concentrate on the parts of Voldemort's plan that Dumbledore was supposed to know.  
  
He concentrated on the cover-up story he and Lucius had worked out together with Voldemort. Dumbledore seemed satisfied with what Severus's mind was showing him and nodded Severus from the room.  
  
As he entered the hallway, Severus uttered a sigh of relief. His under- cover work was difficult at most times, but when he was alone with Dumbledore, it was by far the most testing. He could tell that his mind would be searched at the most random moments, and it was disconcerting to have to constantly be on your guard.  
  
Returning to his room, he began to pack ready to return to Hogwarts with the rest in two days. He'd need to return to Voldemort first, and tell him of the new arrangements. He knew that this meant he would be the most valuable of Voldemort's followers, and he was pleased with this ranking. But getting to this position had required hard work, far harder than he'd ever imagined when he'd first agreed to be in the Death Eaters on his eighteenth birthday. This new task he was being set was going to be harder still. But once the Potter boy was dead – and he would be – Severus would be the most celebrated of the Death Eaters.  
  
And that was a very encouraging thought.  
  
Lucius was with Voldemort when Severus returned the next day. "What new do you bring?" hissed Voldemort, his eyes alive and interested at the return of his Death Eater.  
  
Severus bowed as he entered the room and then walked to stand opposite Lucius in from of Voldemort. "He has agreed to take me back on. He thinks I will help protect the Potter boy."  
  
Voldemort omitted a hiss that was as evil as a laugh can be. Lucius smiled also.  
  
"Well done, Severus," Lord Voldemort whispered. He twisted his face into a grotesque smile and added, "If you continue to serve me so well, we shall find a place of higher ranking than a Death Eater."  
  
Severus's heart leapt and he bowed once more. "My lord, I exist only to serve you."  
  
Voldemort nodded and turned to Lucius. "Now, Malfoy has brought us some interesting news. Tell him, Lucius."  
  
Lucius flicked his grey eyes in Severus's direction. "We've a traitor on our side. Someone is passing information to Dumbledore from our center."  
  
Voldemort leaned closer to Severus. "Any idea who it could be?" he breathed. "One of your fellow Death Eaters been mingling with Dumbledore's followers?" He leaned back and barked, "Don't stand there silently, Severus, tell me what you have seen!"  
  
Snape shook his head wildly. "I've seen nothing that could be described as suspicious. You've so many people doing tasks that only they and you can know about, it is difficult to know who should not be there."  
  
Voldemort considered this. "You speak truthfully. But tell me, who was at the Headquarters when you were there yesterday?"  
  
Severus cocked his head to one side as he racked his memory.  
  
"There was Dumbledore, of course, the members of the Order and the Potter boy with his friends."  
  
Lucius stepped in. "Who were the friends Potter was with?"  
  
Snape frowned. "Oh.........Granger, Weasley and another girl. I think her name was Lisa – no – maybe Lorna? I cannot remember."  
  
Voldemort's eyes blazed red and he looked so fiercely angry that both Lucius and Severus crumpled to the floor to bow low before their master.  
  
"Luna?" he hissed angrily.  
  
Snape lifted his head. "Yes, my lord. I believe so."  
  
He jerked his head back irritably. "Get up. I did not ask you to examine the floor, look at me when I am speaking."  
  
The two men immediately got to their feet and fixed their gazes on Voldemorts pale but angry face.  
  
"The Lovegood child was there. Was her father there?" Voldemort murmured.  
  
Snape shrugged his shoulders slightly. "Not that I saw. But it is a very big house, and I was not there for very long. Anyone could have been in the bedrooms without coming down to dinner."  
  
Voldemort's face coiled into an evil smirk. "I think we've found the traitor." He turned to Lucius, his commanding voice back. "Bring me Lovegood." He looked to Severus. "Leave the girl be for the time being. We shall deal with her when the time is right."  
  
Lucius nodded and left the room after bowing low. Severus was about to follow suit when Voldemort spoke again. "You cannot return to me often during the school term, Severus. Dumbledore will know something is going on. I shall call for you once every three weeks. If you have desperate need to speak with me, tell Lucius or someone else and they will relay the message to me."  
  
He seemed to relax, his body appearing frail and old as he let out a breath of air in a long, cold hiss. "You may leave."  
  
Severus nodded and left.  
  
As he walked down the hall to return to the Order, he stopped beside Lucius. "Will you come when I call you?" he asked the blonde man.  
  
"If I can. If not, give me an hour. I shall make my excuses and come as quickly as I may."  
  
Severus nodded and left the building.  
  
As Voldemort watched his Death Eaters carry out his plan, he grinned with a sadistic, evil smirk.  
  
Everything was going his way again.  
  
A/N: There, we have an evil Snape. He will not go soft. He will remain evil. This was written on request from Evil Pilgrim, so I very much hope you enjoy, Mousie! Anyone else who is reading this, I would welcome your comments very gladly. 


	2. The Traitor

Title: Snape's Betrayal  
  
Author: Stardrops  
  
Genre: Adventure/Action  
  
Rating: PG 13 : There will be violence and murder, so I've got a high rating just as a precaution.  
  
Summary: Severus must conceal his treachery and continue to assist the Dark Lord. While Dumbledore remains oblivious to this treason, people are dying. Will Voldemort finally manage to dominate the wizarding world? For readers who are sick of Harry winning all the time!  
  
Disclaimer: I own practically nothing. Yay for me.  
  
Chapter Two: The Traitor  
  
Severus looked uneasily over his shoulder. He was back at the Hogwarts Grounds, with students by the hundred surrounding him in the corridor. He curled his lip in disgust. So many happy, laughing children milling about. It was sickening. They should be working as hard as he.  
  
He was on orders from Voldemort to keep a close watch on Harry, Hermione, Ron and especially Luna. If she learnt that her father was a Death Eater or similar, she would pass the information to the Order, which could possibly slow down Voldemort's plan.  
  
Harry and his friends were in the courtyard to Severus's left. He stood still where he was and looked to them, trying to hear what they were saying.  
  
It had to be something about the Order because they were speaking in quiet tones in a secretive manner.  
  
As he edged closer, he caught slight snippets of their conversation. He had to be sure to keep behind the walls or bushes that surrounded the courtyard, or else they would see or hear him, and he did not want that. So he stepped quietly and strained his ears, listening with all his might.  
  
"– can try again. He's not stupid enough to attack Hogwarts."  
  
"I wouldn't be so sure." He could hear Hermione speaking now. "He probably hopes to gain lots of followers, and fear is a good weapon to scare people into siding with you."  
  
"Dumbledore reigns here, Hermione. He wouldn't be dumb enough to attack a school with Dumbledore there. He's afraid of him."  
  
Snape stifled a growl rising in his throat at the insolence of these three. He could see other students milling about and realized with a start that this would look rather odd if anyone was to look over and see him hiding behind a brick wall. He straightened and crept as quietly as he could out of sight of the courtyard.  
  
So they didn't think Voldemort could take on Dumbledore. Well, they would see that Voldemort's forces were far greater than they had ever imagined. The school was not of great value to the Dark Side, but then, it might be the perfect way to get to Harry. Defeating Harry would mean nothing could stand in the way of Voldemort. Nothing at all.  
  
Lucius was standing over the quivering figure of Lovegood – the man, not the child. He lay hunched on the ground, trembling uncontrollably. Lucius was guarding him, waiting for Voldemort to enter and deal with the traitor.  
  
Lovegood raised his head slowly to look at the guard. "W-what are you going to do to me?"  
  
Lucius smiled coldly. "That all depends on the severity of your crimes. Chances are - " he stopped to survey the look of growing fear on the face of his captive, "– you won't make it out of this mansion alive."  
  
A door began to creak open, and Lucius's sneer became more pronounced at the startled expression on Lovegood's face. The figure of a man stepped into the room, twirling a wand around his fingers gracefully. He lifted his head into the light from the fireplace. Voldemort had come to see his traitor.  
  
Lovegood's face lost all its colour.  
  
"You made a very foolish choice, Lovegood." Voldemort's voice was soft and menacing. His fingers twirled the wand faster and more deftly. "You entered into my service with the promise you would never betray me or my followers. From what I believe, you have been passing information for the better part of two months now. How much did you feed them?"  
  
Lovegood opened his mouth, but nothing escaped except a tiny, frightened squeak.  
  
"How much did they have to offer you? Money? Glory? Or even - " his eyes widened and glinted evilly, "– safety for your daughter?"  
  
Crouched on the floor, Lovegood's eyes widened and he looked up in fear at the mention of his daughter. Voldemort grinned and raised his eyebrows.  
  
"You are a fool, Lovegood. There is nothing that can save you now, and certainly nothing that can protect your child."  
  
"Please," Lovegood croaked. "Leave Luna. Kill me, but leave her. She's only young."  
  
"Oh, never mind that. I will kill you. But she's not as young as some that I have killed."  
  
"You cannot harm her! She has done nothing wrong."  
  
Voldemort's eyes narrowed in quite fury. "I cannot?" He uttered a laugh that was more a bark than anything humorous. "Do not try telling me what I can and cannot do, Lovegood. You are a traitor. I am the greatest wizard that has ever roamed the wizarding world. Those who assist me are rewarded. Those who repel me or become obstacles are killed. And those who swear themselves into my service and then betray me – well. Their punishment is worse than death. They will eventually wish they were dead. And they will die. But they will endure such suffering – such emotional and physical torment that they will beg for death before it is granted. This is the fate that awaits you, Lovegood."  
  
Lucius stepped forward to begin the torturing, but Voldemort nodded to him. "You may seat yourself, Lucius. We have questioning to do before the torture starts, and then you may assist me in my duty. That is – depending on how badly traitorous you are, Lovegood."  
  
There was silence in the room except for the whimpering of Lovegood.  
  
Harry awoke in the middle of the night. His head was pounding. The scar was throbbing so badly his vision was slightly impaired.  
  
"Harry? Is something wrong?"  
  
Ron was sitting up in the common room when Harry stumbled out half-blinded by the pain in his head. Running for a glass of water, Ron waited til Harry was seated before questioning him.  
  
"What? Did you have another nightmare?"  
  
Harry could only nod. His stomach was turning over and he feared he would vomit if he opened his mouth.  
  
"But, Harry – that's what you've been seeing Snape about for the last two years. You were supposed to have stopped having the dreams by now!"  
  
Harry took a long gulp of the cold water and nodded weakly. "They did stop for a while. But I had another vision last night. I-I think I forgot to clear my thoughts before I went to sleep."  
  
Ron's eyes were wide and his stance attentive. "What did you see?'  
  
Harry shrugged. "I'm not really sure – it was Voldemort. And he was hurting someone. They were screaming and writhing and yelling out that they were sorry, but I don't know who they were. I'd never seen them before."  
  
Ron frowned. "Do you think it was a vision or are you seeing things through Voldemort's eyes again?"  
  
"I don't know. It seemed real – But then, so did a lot of things. This could be another trick of Voldemort's to try and kill someone from the Order," Harry said bitterly, remembering Voldemort's trick involving Sirius.  
  
Ron clapped him on the back bracingly. "Come on, mate, let's get back upstairs. You can go see Dumbledore in the morning about it."  
  
Harry nodded. It wasn't that serious that it couldn't wait – surely.  
  
Meanwhile back in the mansion, Lovegood was thrashing about in pain, lying curled in a ball on the floor with his arms flailing wildly. Voldemort's wand was held delicately between three fingers while the powerful spell pounded out, the skill Voldemort executed truly marvelous. The screams were loud enough to wake the dead, and Lovegood wondered briefly why no one had come to his rescue. His yells were echoing in the darkened mansion, and surely there would be people around who could help him?  
  
"Is that enough pain for you?" Voldemort asked Lovegood coldly. "Would you rather death now?"  
  
Lovegood just sobbed into the floor.  
  
Voldemort uttered another, more painful dark curse and Lovegood was immediately struck with such torment that he could not breathe or scream.  
  
When the curse was lifted, he lay panting, tears streaming down his face. His screams ceased, leaving a ringing silence that was somehow louder than his screams.  
  
"Think of Luna, Lovegood. You'll never see your child again. And believe me, she will suffer as you are now."  
  
Lovegood gasped for breath between spasms of pain still circulating through his systems. "Please – don't punish – don't take her – she has not done anything to you!"  
  
"But you have."  
  
Screams and shrieks of intense pain were loud enough to be hear miles away, but because of the clever Silencing Charm Lucius was holding over the mansion, nothing could be heard.  
  
Back at Hogwarts, Severus woke in the early hours of the morning with a start. His Dark Mark, on the left forearm, was burning anew. Voldemort was angry. And Severus knew that Lovegood was dead. It filled him with pleasure – the world would soon be purged of the stupidity of people such as Lovegood.  
  
And with the new world would come the dominion of Lord Voldemort – with his most faithful servant alongside him.  
  
TBC  
  
A/N: Huh. New Chapter. Hope it's up to your standards, anyone reading this; especially the person I fear will be my only reader/reviewer, Mousie. So I hope it was what you wanted, Mousie my dearest. 


End file.
